Top 50 HS Prospects For 2028

Plus: 15 more 2028 names to know, college draft updates & data and more

February 25, 2026

BA’s 2028 High School Rankings Are Here

With the new high school season getting started, Baseball America is excited to release our first rankings of the top players in the 2028 class.

On the mound, California righthander Striker Pence and his 101 mph fastball stand out among the top players in the class, while Greyson Bell from Pennsylvania has separated himself as the top lefty for 2028 thanks to a great mix of stuff and pitchability beyond his years.

Among position players, the top spot in the class is more open. Georgia outfielder Dexter McCleon Jr. presents the best combination of dynamic athleticism, tools and physical upside in the class, while California shortstop Landon King is an elite pure hitter for his age and another one of the premier players in the country.

MORE 2028 NAMES TO KNOW

15 More Standouts From The 2028 Class

While BA’s initial rankings of the top 50 players for 2028 is as comprehensive a list as you’re going to find, there are plenty more players from the class who college coaches and scouts will paying close attention to.

To that point, Ben Badler’s rundown of 15 more 2028 names to know features a number of up-and-coming high school arms, as rankings at this stage in the process are typically heavy on position players at the top.

Want even more amateur scouting reports? Check out our full rankings here.

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COLLEGE DRAFT ARMS

Checking In On Top College Draft Pitchers

When it comes to early-season draft prospect looks, hitters can be tough to judge. But for pitchers, initial performance feedback is typically pretty reliable. With that in mind, BA draft expert Carlos Collazo has checked in on the early 2026 work of a number of pitchers in several key categories:

First-Round Arms
On The First-Round Bubble
Velocity Gainers

And though he’s not 2026-eligible, there’s a special bonus section reserved solely for an Oklahoma State ace who may well end up being the best college arm in the country when all is said and done.

COLLEGE DATA DARLINGS

Cameron Johnson, Drew Burress & More College Data Standouts From Week 2

Each week during the college baseball season, Geoff Pontes will be digging into college performances from an analytical angle, looking at advanced data to identify pitchers, hitters and underclassmen making a splash.

For hitters, he’ll highlight exit velocity, barrels and contact metrics. On the pitching side, he’ll discuss velocity, movement and arsenal depth. Here’s who stood out in Week 2.

2026 MLB PREVIEW

BA’s MLB Preview Double Issue

With each passing day, we get a little closer to the return of meaningful baseball games. To help get you ready for the 2026, Baseball America’s MLB preview double issue is now available for preorder. Highlights include: